The Bailey Brothers

The Bailey Brothers

The Bailey Brothers and the Happy Valley Boys were an American bluegrass act widely considered to be among the first to cultivate the duo harmony vocal technique widely used in modern bluegrass music today. Charlie Bailey (February 11, 1916 in Happy Valley, Tennessee, near Rogersville – March 12, 2004 in Bear, Delaware) began his musical career in 1936. His brother, Danny Bailey (December 1, 1919, Happy Valley, Tennessee – March 22, 2004, Knoxville, Tennessee), teamed up with him in 1940, and the brothers began making frequent appearances on Tennessee radio stations in the Knoxville area. Danny formed the Happy Valley Boys after Charlie joined the military in 1941. In 1944 the Happy Valley Boys relocated to Nashville, where they became members of the Grand Ole Opry, and also made regular appearances on WSM-AM radio in Nashville. At that time, Danny was the youngest person to ever perform on the Grand Ole Opry. When Charlie returned from his military service in 1946 the brothers were reunited as a duo but only stayed in Nashville briefly before returning to radio work in Knoxville. The Bailey brothers came from a musical family and began playing music early in their lives. Charlie displayed a desire to pursue music very early in his life buying his first guitar for $1.75. Their parents had hoped that Danny would become a doctor but sensing that the pull toward music was stronger, they encouraged Danny to join his brother who had already begun making a name for himself musically. The Bailey Brothers and the Happy Valley Boys members included from 1949: Charles Bailey on mandolin, guitar, vocals; Daniel Bailey playing guitar, vocals; Carl Bailey on guitar; and E.P. Tullock on bass. Other members had included (from 1946): L.E. White, fiddle; Wiley Birchfield, banjo; Ray Brewster, guitar and mandolin; Willie Brewster, vocals, guitar, and mandolin; Cotton Gaylon, Hawaiian guitar; and Larry Mathis, banjo. George Shuffler also played bass with the group for a time.

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